The humanitarian crisis resulting from political instability in Gaza led to the lost of over 2000 civilian lives. Intensifying conflict between the Palestinian and Israeli military prompted the United Nations to make an urgent international appeal for humanitarian assistance on 29 January to help the Palestinian refugees affected by the fighting. Responding to the call for aid, MR and 8 religious organizations rallied together for a 5-day fundraising drive for the humanitarian effort in Gaza.

The 8 organizations included the Spiritual Assembly of Baha’is of Singapore, Singapore Buddhist Federation, the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, National Council of Churches of Singapore, Hindu Endowments Board, Sikh Advisory Board, Singapore Taoist Federation and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS).

The first 8-man team was deployed on 5 February to personally hand over more than $189,000 worth of aid to 4 partner organizations in Egypt and Israel – the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and Hommes de Parole (a Swiss-based organization of rabbis and imams). The aid supplies included 80 tonnes of flour, 30 tonnes of sugar, 4,000 tins of luncheon meat (halal), 2,000 packets of baby milk, 1,000 blankets, and other food and medical supplies. The second mission that followed procured 2,000 sets of cooking kits and 2,000 plastic mats (measuring 4×4m), costing $116,000, which was sent to the Gaza Strip through the UNRWA.

About Mercy Relief

Mercy Relief is a Singaporean humanitarian organisation which engages in both disaster relief and sustainable development programmes. It was established in 2003 as an independent non-governmental humanitarian charity responding to the human tragedies in Asia. Mercy Relief’s aid programme focuses on providing timely and effective assistance to disaster-stricken communities and has maintained the delivery of emergency aid within 72 hours from the point of appeal for assistance.  

In the past 12 years, Mercy Relief has disbursed over S$32 million in aid across 40 disaster relief and 53 sustainable development initiatives. Mercy Relief has impacted an aggregate of 2 million lives in 24 countries and areas, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal,  Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Yemen.

For more information, you may call us at 6514 6322 or email corporateaffairs@mercyrelief.org

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